HE is regarded as “the world’s worst dancer” and his only experience is from a brief break dancing phase in the ’80s, but that will not stop one local teacher from stepping into the spotlight and learning for charity.
St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School’s Year 4/5 class teacher Rob Francis will swap the blackboard for the dancefloor when he takes part in the Stand Like Stone Foundation’s Swinging with the Stars fundraiser.
Mr Francis admitted the title of star was a little dramatic and when his wife Sonya received the phone call from organisers notifying her of the nomination, she thought it was a practical joke.
“She is well aware of my dancing skills,” he said.
“When she told me, my initial reaction was there is no way I can do this, but some of my colleagues convinced me it was something I should take part in.”
Students have rallied behind Mr Francis and while the reaction to him busting moves has been mixed, Mr Francis is still using his participation as a claim to Millicent fame.
“Sorry no autographs, I’m too busy here with the press,” he joked to a colleague when speaking with The South Eastern Times last week.
“Oh that was just one of my fans, I have got a lot of them.”
Mr Francis has his eye on the people’s choice prize and has appointed an unofficial fundraising management committee, made up of students, to help him with his goals.
“I have tied it in with my teaching so students have learned how to write business letters and chose what company they would like to write to asking for support,” he said.
“Hopefully we will get some donations coming back that we can use for raffle prizes and auction prizes.”
Another fundraiser flagged for the future is a “dance day” at the school.
Mr Francis said the school may even be lucky to have an exclusive sneak peek of what he has learned under the guidance of dance partner Keana Soper at the fundraiser.
“Keana is a dance teacher in Mount Gambier and this is her third time participating in Swinging with the Stars,” he said.
“I think she has had two top four finishes in the last two years, but I have assured her she will finish bottom four this year.
“She is supportive and does not have a go at me when I go the wrong way all the time.
“We tried our first lift the other day and I did not drop her at all.”
Another fundraiser Mr Francis hopes to host an Amazing Race event in Millicent for community members to take part in.
As part of the race participants would leave the school in carpools and follow a course of challenges including taking different photographs and finding different objects.
Despite his dance experience, Mr Francis said he was honoured to take part in the fundraiser and added it was great for him to step out of his comfort zone.
“I thought I may as well have a go at it, I think it is good for my two kids Jack and Lily to see me do something like this,” he said.
“To see me take a risk and do something that scares me.
“It is also definitely good for the kids in my class too. They have been unbelievable and are on this journey with me.”
Mr Francis does have the opportunity to gain people’s choice status in the fundraiser and encourages people to make donations, which are pooled and invested in community projects, individuals, families, groups, corporations and non-profit organisations.
